Adjustable locking bearing



Nov. 27, 1928.' 1,693,126

T. VAN RYAN ET AL `ADJUSTABLE LOCKING BEARING Filed Sept. 27, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 1 J0 J2 l? :it 2L 1| --Jr Jf/ f7 J5 20]; J7 j 2f @iz 7IPd/Ryan;

Nov. 27, 1928.

T. VAN RYAN ET AL ADJUSTABLE LOCKING BEARING Filed Sept. 27, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 27, 1928.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TONY VAN RYAN AND ALFRED ALSAKER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGIIORS TOTHE DELTA-STAR ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE LOCKING* BEARING.

Application led September 27, 1926. vSerial No. 137,929.

The present invention relates to an adjustable locking' bearing forelectric switches, or the like. j n

It is common practice to operate switches by a pipe shaft moved by ahandle pivoted to the shaft. The handle is adapted to be folded parallelto the shaft and locked by means of a stationary lug passing through thehandle or embracing the same. A padlock is then used to lock the handlein position with the switch either closed or open.

When the parts are assembled, the switch contacts may not be in thefully open or closed position when the handle registers with the lockingtongue. According to our invention we make the locking tongue adjustableangularly about the shaft so that it may be brought into register withthe handle when the switch member or other operated par-ts are in thedesired position. We do not wish to be limited to a tongue and slot, norto the specific arrangement of the parts, except asV they arespecifically recited in the claims. lVe embody the adjustable lockingdevice in a bearing for the pipe or shaft.

Now, in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner ofconstructing and operating a device embodying our invention,

We shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings aspecific embodiment of the same. In the drawings Figure 1 is a topplanview of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of same showing themannerin which itis mounted;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the clamping member for the switchoperating shaft;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2; W

Fig. 6 is another sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 1; and

8 is a sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7 showing the lockingmeans for the adjustable tongue.

The adjustable locking bearing of our invention is secured yto theswitch o erating shaft jl() by means of a pair of c amping members 11and 12. At one end the clamping member 11 is provided with a pair ofnotches 13 with which the hooks 14 on the clamping member 12 are adaptedto co-o crate. It will be noted that the projecting ngers or hooks 14form what might be called a hinge joint between the clampin members. Itis obvious that a joint of t is sort is not essential and that theclamping members 11 and 12 may be made integral at this point. However,we find that this construction permits Vthe clamping members to get abetter and tighter hold on the shaft. A boss 15 on the clamp 11 isthreadedto receive a set screw. 16 which aids in holding the clampingmembers securely to the shaft 10. Each of the clamps is also providedwith a clearance 37 which extendsthrough the central portions thereof.This clearance is illustrated in Fig. 5, and permits the set screw 16 todraw the clamping membersv together so that contact with the shaft l0may be had on each side of the clearance. At the ends opposite the hooksand notches 13 and 14, respectively, the clamps 11 and 12 are providedwith integral bolting lugs 17 which are provided with the stops 18. Thelugs 17 have registering openings through which a bolt 19 is adapted topass.

As the bolt 19 is drawninto its co-o erating nut 20, the projectingstops 18 are rought into Contact with each other. In so doing theypermit the clamps to get a firm hold on the shaft 10, and alsoA limitthe bending of the lugs toward each other. A pair of lugs' 21, which areformed integral with theclamp 12, are also provided with registeringapertures through which extends a standard machine bolt 22. The bolt r22threads yinto a nut 23 and permits pivotal mounting of the switchoperating handle 24 with the lugs 21 The handle 24 is preferably made ofmalleable iron, but it may be also made of any other material whichpossesses the necessary strength and rigidity. It is provided with apair of integral arms 25 by means of which it is pivotally mounted lonthe machine bolt 22.` An opening 26 permits the handle to clear a lug onthe adjustable tongue 27, so that it maybe locked in place in a mannerto be hereinafter described.

The adjustable tongue 27 comprises a pair ofcollars 28 and 29 which areadapted to snugly encircle the 'operating shaft l0.

Y These collars are connected together by means ceive a suitablepadloclr for 'preventing unauthorized manipulation ot the operatinghandle24 when the opening 26 therein and the lug 3l are in engagement.Extending down-4 wardly from the vcollar 29 is the tongue portion 33.

a washer 4( This comprises a generally circular neclr which is integralwith one side of the collar 29. The neclr merges into another memberwhich isalso generally circular in form. 'In this latter member we.provide an arcuate slot 34 `by mea-.neet which the necessaryadjust-ments of the bearing member may be made.

The support or mounting member for the bearing is generally designatedbythe numeral35. lt comprises a collar 36 inV which the shaft l isjournalled. rilhe inner surface of the collar 36, is provided withaclearance in the central portion thereo, so as to permit a snug litwith the shaft-'l0 at both the upper and A.lowen portions ofthe collar36. EX- tending out laterally :trom opposite sides of the collar are apair of lugs 38 39 having openings 40 and 4l, respectively. These lugsare lspaced substantially 180o apart and their purpose and the purposeVof the openings thereinvwill be hereinafter described. v.'lhe supportmember 35 also has formed integral therewith a mounting portion 42. Thispor-V tion is formed integral withY and vextends. downwardly Vfrom oneside of the collar 3o.V

Itis provided with a pair ofopenio .0s through Ywhich extend the bolts43for securing the mounting memberv to channel 5l or other suitablesupport means for the bearing. Along the lower edge of the mountingport-ion Y 1 1. L 1 42, l provide a crock 44 having a generally 'concavesurface 45. The curvature ol the surface 45 has the same' radius as thatot the lower portion of the tongue 33 which contacts with it'. It isprovided with a bolt opening throughwhich extends the bolt 4G. Thearcuate'opening 34 in the tongue l33 is of substantially the saine widthas the bolt opening in the block 44 so as to permit the bolt 46 toalsoextend therethrough. Mounted on the bolt 46 and adapted to(zo-operate with the inner concave surface of the tongue 33 is It isprovided with a convex outer surface which has thevsame radius oicurvature'as the inner surface of the lower portion of the tongue 33.The opposite surface ot' the washer 47 is substantially flat so as topermit a nut 48 to be brought into firm contact therewith. By tighteningthe nut 48 f tongue 3 3 against the block Q44. Adjustment of. the

the washer 47 is firmly clamped against the which in turn is clamped inplace tongue relative the block 44 may be had by loosening the nut 48,thereby permitting the upper portion of the tongue to turn independently of the support member 35.

To operate a switch employing our device, it is first necessary toremove the padloclr which holds the switch o aeratino handle in C?place. YWhen the padlock is removed, the handle is lifted from itsvertical position, which it occupies when theswitch is lett open orclosed,'into a horizontal position asindicated bythe numeral 50 in Fig.2. When the handle is in this position, it may be turned either to theright or left for opening or closing the switch. Let us assume thatbefore the padlock has been removed that the operating vhandlewasengaged with the lug 31 on the vadjustable ltongue 2'?. llihen thehandle isin this position the switch blades are normally yin contactwith each other. VNew, when the handle is lifted into the horizontalposition to permit its turning to. the lright or left, it is tree ofmembers which might prevent turning thereof. Hence, it might be turnedYeither clockwise or counter-clockwise to open the switch. rlhedirection in which it will be turned will .depend on the structure oftheswitchoperating mechanism, which in this case forms no part of theIpresent inven tion. After the switch haslbeen opened, the handle isturned until the opening 26 therein is in substantially the sainevertical plane as one of the lugs 38 or 39. It it has been'turned in theclockwise direction, it willnow be in position to permit its engagementwith the lug 33. .lt is then closed in this position means of a suitablepadlock which is adapted to cooperate with the .opening 40 in the lug.

Hence, it is obvious from .the above that the adjustableteature lendsitself especially in permitting accurate closing ot the switch. Thecorrect adjustment ot the tongue is secured by rst turning the operatinghandle until the switch contacts arel in proper cooperation with eachother. lllhenthisfresult is had,fthe operating handle is lowered intoits vertical position. if the tongue 27 is properly adjusted, the lug 31will enter the opening 26 in the handle. l the tongue is not properlyadjusted, the lug 3l will not enter the opening 26, butwill strilretheweb portion of the handle'at some point adjacent the opening. Now, byloosening the nut 43 on thebolt 46, the tongue 27' may be turned aboutthe operating shaittlO a suliicient angular distance so that the lug 3lwill freely enter the opening 26 in the operating handle 24. When thisYadjustment is had the loclz nut 48 is again tightened so that theadjustable tongue is firmly heldin fixed position.

We also provide an opening 52`at the lower end of the handle which maybe used when it is desirable to secure the handle to the operating shaft10 at some point abovethe bearingmember itself.. The procedure foradjusting the bearing member with respect to lli) the switch contacts asoutlined above, is also followed when the lower opening is used forlocking the handle in place.

Hence, itis seen that with the adjustable featureof our invention, it ispossible to get accurate alignment of the co-operating switch contactsafter the device has been installed without in any manner changin thesize of the parts 'to get them to permit accurate alignment of theswitch blades. rIbis structure, therefore, obviates the necessity ofcarefully machining the parts, and hence a device of our constructionmay be easily and quickly assembled at the place where it is to be used.Itis also known that the switch blades will, in the course of time, getout of alignment, so that unless some means is provided for adjustingthe amount of turning required` to get them into proper contact, goedContact between the parts will not be had.

Other highly desirable features of the invention are its relativesimplicity and its low manufacturing cost. It will be noted hat verylittle manual labor is required to complete the device. The parts arepreferably made of malleable irc-n nd little or no machining isnecessary to get them to fit properly with respect to each other.

IVe do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described.

IVe claim l. In combination, a switch operating shaft, an operatinghandle for said shaft, a support for said shaft, and adjustable meansmounted on said support to which said handle may be secured in fixedposition relative to said support.

2. In combination, a switch operating shaft, a handle for turning saidshaft, a support forrsaid shaft, an adjustable member rotatably mountenon said support to which said handle may be secured.

3. In combination, a switch operating shaft, a handle for said shaft,means for securing said handle to said shaft, said means comprising apair of clamps hinged at one end and bolted together at the oppositeend, a support, an adjustable tongue on said support, and means on saidadjustable tongue adapted to co-operate with said handle for holding itin a fixed position.

l. In combination, a switch operating shaft, a clamping member securedto said shaft, an operating handle for said shaft pivotally connected tosaid clamping member, a support for said shaft, an adjustable tonguerotatably mounted on said support, and means integral with said tongueand adapted to co-operate with said handle for preventing turning ofsaid operating shaft relative said support.

5. In combination, a switch operating sha-ft, means for turning saidshaft, and securing means for said turning means, said securing meansbeing adjustable to permit securing of said turning means only when theoperating shaft isV in a predetermined position.

6. In combination, a support for a switch operating shaft, an adjustabletongue mounted on said support, and means for securing said tongue tosaid support.

7. In combination, a support for a switch operating shaft, an adjustabletongue rotatably mounted on said support, and means extending throughsaid tongue for securing it to said support.

8. In combination, a support for a switch operating shaft, an adjustabletongue rotatab y mounted on said support, said tongue having a slotteddownwardly extending portion, and means adapted to co-operate with theslot in said downwardly extending portion for securing said tongue tosaid support.

9. In combination, a support for a switch operating shaft, said supportcomprising a bearing portion and a mounting portion, a tongue rotatablymounted on said bearing portion, said tongue having a neck extendingdownwardly therefrom, said neck having a convex surface, means on saidsupport adapted to contact with a portion of said convex surface, andmeans extending through said contact means and said neck for securingsaid tongue to said support.

lO. In combination, a support for a switch operating shaft, said supportcomprising a bearing portion and amounting portion, an adjustable tonguemounted on said bearing portion, a downwardly extending portion having aslot substantially adjacent its lower end integral with said tongue,means for spacing the lower end of said tongue from said support, andmeans extending through said support, said spacing means and said tonguefor securing said spacing means and said tongue in fixed relation withrespect to said support.

ll. In combination, a switch operating shaft, a handle for turning saidshaft, a support for said shaft, an adjustable tongue mounted on saidsupport, means on said support for holding said handle in fixed positionwhen the switch is open, and means on said tongue for holding saidhandle in fixed position when the switch is closed.

l2. In combination, a mounting member, a support secured to saidmounting member, a switch operating shaft rotatably mounted in saidsupport, a handle secured to said shaft for rotating same, and meansrotatably mounted on said support and adapted to co-operate with saidhandle for limiting the turning movement of said handle.

13. In combination, a switch operating shaft, a support for said shaft,an operating handle for turning said shaft into opening and closingposition, means on said support adapted to co-operate With said handlewhen the switch vis opened, an adjustable tongue r0- tatahly mounted o nsaid support, and means on said tongue intermediate the means on saidsupport for holding the handle against turning Tvvhen the switch isclosed.

14. In combination, a switch operating shaft, a support for said Shaft,an operating handle for said shaft, said handle having a W relativelyhorizontal position for turning said shaft, and a relatively verticalposition when it is locked against turning7 and adjustable means adaptedto (3o-operate with said handle when it is in its vertical position toprevent unauthorized turning thereof.

In Witness whereof, We hereunto subscribe our names this 23rd day ofSeptember, 1926.

TONY VAN RYAN. ALFRED ALSAKER.

